In agriculture, every acre counts, and margins can be slim. Every farmer needs to maximize their per-acre yield to maintain a viable operation. There are many ways you can improve your farm’s efficiency, like redesigning your layout or switching to a better farming style. Try these simple methods for changing practices on your current farm for efficiency.
Farm Audit
Every farm is different, with a variety of challenges and resource differences. That’s why performing an audit of all the different parts of your farm and tracking metrics can quickly identify problems. For example, an energy audit can help identify how your farm uses energy and where you can make improvements.
Space Utilization
Every farm has a limit on the space it can use for growing plants, which is why wasting any space can be so detrimental to efficiency. Look for farming systems that utilize every area of the space you have, including vertical and overhead areas. Minimizing space between plants can also increase your overall yield.
Maintenance
Your plants shouldn’t be your only focus in farming, as the machines and tools you use for your farm need proper maintenance. Without good maintenance, these tools and devices lose efficiency and slow down. Additionally, they can cause harm to your plants if you don’t take proper care of them. You should even clean out the things you might not use manually, like the ventilation.
Interplanting Crops
A lot of traditional crop methods use different beds and areas for specific crops. But new methods of farming show that planting different plants in the same bed can lead to better space utilization and more profit in the end. The only issue is that not every plant is safe to grow with other plants, so check the viability of your plants before you put them together.
Water Management
Irrigation is one of the most important things a farmer should consider. Each plant needs a specific and regular amount of water. Implementing a system that quickly irrigates all the plants the exact amount of water needed can save a lot of money and time. Sadly, there’s no one system that works the best; it all depends on the plants you grow. So be sure to consider your options when planning your next crop bed.
These are all the ways you can improve your farm’s efficiency that you can use easily. Each one of these tips can improve your efficiency, and mixing them together can give you the best results. So consider adding each one into your farm plans.
© 2022, Divine Magazine. All rights reserved.
